Writing Resources

Rubric: Midterm Paper in an Acting Class

Theatre Arts

Specificity and Detail: Content is exact and detailed.  Description uses sensual details to tell the story, not general, skeletal terms.

Evocative Language and Clarity:  The character and place sound are described realistically. The details and specifics of the story are relayed clearly and expressively. Transitions between events are smooth, clearly carrying the reader from one idea/event to the next.

Motive: There is a clear direction for the story, a reason for the reader to progress from the introduction to the conclusion. The motive tells the reader why this story is important without specifically stating it.

Personalization:  As in good acting, there is a sense that the writer is writing in a honest voice, instead of performing. The author says what needs to be said in the most concise manner, without rambling or using phrases, vocabulary, etc that would be awkward for the character. The author does not try to hide or 'puff up' the paper. Rather, the writing comes from an honest core.

Connection to the Play:  The ideas in the paper spring from and are grounded in the play. This is not to say that all the details have to come exactly from the play, rather that the author uses the events and story of the play as a foundation for their own creation.

Grammar, Syntax, etc: The paper has been proofread and contains minimal grammatical and spelling errors. Sentences are complete (without being run-ons) and paragraphs are separated according to their main ideas. Transitions between paragraphs make sense. Pronouns are used properly and in agreement with appropriate antecedents. The writing has been carefully and thoughtfully constructed.

 

Adrianne Krstansky
Developed at Brandeis University through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation